We hope to see you Monday eve at OWU for the Oct 27th DCBC meeting. Our speaker, Stephen Bischoff age 16, was a second time speaker at the Ohio Avian Conference at Denison University last Saturday. His talk Monday will be an expanded version from Oct 18. Best Darlene Sillick DCBC co-program chair Please email me privately if you would like a copy of the full Oct 2014 newsletter. --- Vol. 29 No. 7 Delaware County Bird Club Newsletter October 2014 DCBC PROGRAMS The Delaware County Bird Club meetings and program presentations take place on the fourth Monday of each month, September through April, except in November and December when they are held on alternate days to accommodate the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. Please join us in the City of Delaware at the Ohio Wesleyan University, Schimmel-Conrades Science Center, Room 163. Conversation and refreshments begin at 7:00 PM; the meetings and programs start at 7:30 PM. Parking is available next to the Selby Stadium on the east side of Henry Street and in the lot south of the Science Center next to Branch Rickey Arena. Enter the south west doors by the greenhouse. DCBC PROGRAMS FOR AUTUMN October 27th: "Two Year Comparison of the Growth and Development of Tree Swallow and Eastern Bluebird Using Photography and Weight Measurements", Stephen Bischoff, Ohio Young Birder. During 2014 Stephen monitored two nest box trails observing the growth and feeding habits of Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebirds. Hatchling weights were recorded daily and photographed against a 1/8" x 1/8" grid. Hatchlings were also photographed against growth charts created last year to determine whether charts could be used to age birds. Game cameras were mounted on some nest boxes to record the frequency of visits. The exponential growth patterns recorded last year were identical this year and pattern appeared the same for both first nestings and second nestings. In addition, the growth charts developed last year appear to be an accurate way to age hatchlings. Videos captured by game cameras indicate that the parents increase the frequency of nest visits during the rapid growth period. Stephen is a sixteen year old junior at Dublin Scioto High School. He is actively involved in the Ohio Young Birders Club and also volunteers at the Ohio Wildlife Center. Earlier this year he monitored two nest box trails: a ten box trail at OCLC in Dublin and another 14 box trail at Sawmill Wetlands. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]